Donald Trump and Malcolm Turnbull speak on phone, US deal to go ahead
Updated
US President Donald Trump has confirmed his administration will honour a refugee resettlement deal Australia made with the Obama administration.
Key points:
- Donald Trump puts a four-month hold on allowing refugees into the US
- Malcolm Turnbull said there is a section in Mr Trump's order which states officials can still admit refugees under pre-existing international agreements
- Teenage refugee reportedly attempts suicide on Nauru following immigration ban
The deal had come into question after Mr Trump signed an executive order suspending his country's refugee program.
Mr Trump yesterday put a four-month hold on allowing refugees into the US and temporarily barred travellers with passports from seven Muslim-dominated countries.
But the ABC understands Mr Trump confirmed he would honour the resettlement deal during a phone call to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull this morning.
Before the call, Mr Turnbull said there is a section in Mr Trump's executive order which states officials can still admit refugees under pre-existing international agreements.
The ABC understands that section was included in the final version of the executive order after the Prime Minister's office intervened.
"We are very confident and satisfied that existing arrangements will continue," Mr Turnbull said before the call.
"It's quite clear that the administration has set out in the order the ability to deal with existing arrangements."
Earlier this week senior government sources said they were confident the orders will not impact the deal to resettle refugees currently on Manus Island and Nauru, entered into late last year with former president Barack Obama.
Authorities had hoped to begin moving people to the US at the start of this year.
Uncertainty over ban hits Nauru
A teenage refugee has reportedly attempted suicide on Nauru following the introduction of Mr Trump's immigration ban.
SBS has reported the Iranian national has been held on Nauru since 2013 and was now being held in jail.
In a statement, a Department of Immigration and Border Protection spokesman said the department was aware of the incident.
He said the department did not comment on individual cases and that the US resettlement deal remained in place.
Talks emphasise 'close relationship'
The two men spoke for about 25 minutes and Mr Turnbull congratulated President Trump on his inauguration.
They also discussed challenges in fighting international terrorism and the so-called Islamic State group.
In a statement, the White House said the longstanding strength of the relationship between Australia and the US was a key focus of the talk.
The US President also spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel today.
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Topics: world-politics, turnbull-malcolm, refugees, foreign-affairs, government-and-politics, federal-government, immigration, australia, united-states
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